Ron Stallings, prominent saxophonist, dies

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, April 16, 2009

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Ron Stallings is one of 12 members of the Rising Phoenix Brass Band, playing a New Orleans tribute.Ran on: 02-23-2006 Ron Stallings is one of 12 members of the Rising Phoenix Brass Band, playing a New Orleans tribute.Ran on: 02-23-2006 Ran on: 02-23-2006 Ran on: 02-23-2006 Ron Stallings is one of 12 members of the Rising Phoenix Brass Band, playing a New Orleans tribute.Ran on: 02-23-2006 less

Ron Stallings is one of 12 members of the Rising Phoenix Brass Band, playing a New Orleans tribute.Ran on: 02-23-2006 Ron Stallings is one of 12 members of the Rising Phoenix Brass Band, playing a New Orleans ... more

Photo: -, SFC

Ron Stallings, prominent saxophonist, dies

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Ron Stallings, a tenor saxophonist who performed with Bay Area rock heavyweights such as Huey Lewis and the News and Boz Scaggs, as well as with several prominent local Latin jazz ensembles, died on Monday in the Berkeley home of his partner, Susan Marchionna, after a long battle with cancer. He was 62.

Mr. Stallings made his name as a session player for Jerry Garcia, Jesse Colin Young, Mike Bloomfield, Tom Fogerty and Elvin Bishop. In 1994, he joined the horn section of Huey Lewis and the News for the recording of the rhythm and blues-based album "Four Chords and Several Years Ago." He toured with the band for 14 years before health concerns forced him to retire from the road last fall.

"One measure of my success was that I could afford to work with Ron Stallings," said Lewis. "He was a star before I was on the music scene."

In 1969, Mr. Stallings sang on San Francisco blues-rock band Mother Earth's album "Make a Joyful Noise." After a trip to Cuba ignited his love for Afro-Cuban music in 1994, the saxophonist formed the group Que Calor with pianist Mark Levine and joined John Santos and the Machete Ensemble.

"He came back with this aura around him," said Johnny Colla, guitarist and saxophonist for Huey Lewis and the News. "He found his musical calling."

Mr. Stallings' most recent collaboration was with the Brazilian jazz group Tanaora on their album, "Dia Real," released in February.

"He could perform in any genre of music," said Rick Ballard, owner of Oakland's Groove Yard Jazz record store. "He was very versatile."

Mr. Stallings was also active in organizing several Bay Area concerts for peace as a reaction to U.S. military involvement in Iraq. "A lot of artists I know feel the same way, so why not come together and make a statement?" the soft-spoken saxophonist told the Chronicle in 2004.

An Oakland native, Mr. Stallings lived in Houston until he was 8, then moved to San Francisco's Fillmore district with his family in 1954. In another interview with The Chronicle, he said the move changed his life. "The whole concept of a melting pot was totally new to me," Stallings said. "Now I can't imagine it any other way."

Apart from a two-year sojourn in Europe following a 1977 tour of the continent with trombonist Julian Priester, the musician spent most of his adult life in San Francisco.

In addition to his partner, he is survived by a son, Josh Stallings, of Portland, Ore., and two grandchildren. Among his other survivors is his first cousin, the singer Mary Stallings.

A memorial concert, "A Tribute to Rev: Celebrating The Life of Ron Stallings," will be held at 7:30 p.m. April 26 at La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. For more information, visit www.lapena.org.